Veteran Kumar Sangakkara hit a 200-plus score for the 10th time to light up the fourth day's play in the first Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Galle on Saturday. The prolific left-hander made 221 as the hosts declared their first innings at 533-9 shortly before stumps, a lead of 82 runs over Pakistan's total of 451.

Sangakkara, second only behind Australian legend Don Bradman's tally of 12 scores of more than 200, took advantage of the easy-paced wicket to toy with the Pakistan attack for nearly 12 hours. He fell in the post-tea session, stumped off spinner Abdur Rehman trying to pick up the scoring rate in the company of tailenders.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath then had opener Khurram Manzoor caught behind for three to reduce the tourists to 4-1 in six overs before the close. Ahmed Shehzad was on one and nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal had yet to score when stumps were drawn, leaving Pakistan the task of batting out the final day to draw the opening encounter of the two-match series.

Quotes:

Everyone is second to the Don. I am pretty happy that I am two double-hundreds behind him because that is probably the only way I can even get close to reaching him: Sangakkara.

Sangakkara played very well, but the story would have been different if some catches had been taken or some decisions had favoured us: Saeed Ajmal.

Wicket: Ajmal c Dickwella b Dhammika 4(21)

Nightwatchman Saeed Ajmal could not last long on Day 5, falling to Dhammika Prasad in the 12th over. Ajmal tried to drive without moving his feet but all he could manage was an outside edge, which was snapped up by Niroshan Dickwella behind the stumps.

Update: Shehzad, Ali steady Pakistan

Ahmed Shehzad and Azhar Ali batted watchfully to ensure that Sri Lanka could not make any more inroads in the first hour. The spinners, who bowled in tandem, kept testing the Pakistani pair but they were up to the task as they negotiated Herath and Dilruwan Perera. The runs did not come quickly but Shehzad and Ali did not try to do anything fancy as they batted with a lot of patience.

Wicket: Shehzad lbw b Perera 16(74)

The partnership came to an end in the 27th over when Perera struck to get rid of Shehzad. Shuffling across and looking to work the ball to the on side, the batsman missed it and was given out leg-before. Shehzad wanted to use the review but his batting partner advised against it, a decision that was wrong as the DRS would have saved the batsman, with replays suggesting that the ball was

Wicket: Younis b Herath 13(25)

Younis Khan and Ali tried building a partnership to steady Pakistan. They were doing a good job until Younis played down the wrong line and was bowled by Herath in the 37th over.

Day 5 Lunch: Pakistan in trouble

Regular strikes on Day 5 meant that the hosts were in with a good chance of forcing a victory in what was otherwise a dull Test match with batsmen prospering from both sides. Nightwatchman Ajmal did not stick around for too long, falling to Dhammika. Shehzad and Ali steadied the ship with a cautious stand before the former fell to Dlruwan. Sri Lanka's spirits were further up when Herath managed to defeat Younis' defence to leave the visitors 4-down at Lunch. Pakistan will have to show a lot of application in the next session to keep Sri Lanka at bay and they have just the batsmen for that in Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq. The hosts, meanwhile, will be looking to send those two as early as possible, which would expose the tail.

Misbah and Azhar kept the Lankans at bay before the former was adjudged leg-before off Perera in the 44th over. The visiting team skipper, attempting a sweep shot, was rapped on the pads and umpire Bruce Oxenford raised his finger. Misbah decided to review the decision straightaway and replays revealed that the ball struck his glove before hitting the pad. The umpire had to reverse his decision, allowing Misbah to bat on.

Update: Pakistan take lead

Misbah decided to take the attack to Perera in the 50th over, hitting him for a six and a four off consecutive deliveries to help Pakistan take the lead. A single for Azhar in the 54th over helped Pakistan reach 100.

Wickets: Quick strikes leave Pak in trouble

Herath and Perera struck in consecutive overs to leave Pakistan in a lot of trouble. Azhar's bigil was ended by the left-arm spinner in the 58th over, who got one to turn away sharply from the batsman, finding the outside edge which travelled to Dickwella's hands. Misbah departed in the next over, trapped leg-before by the off-spinner. Misbah missed a straight delivery on the back-foot and was rapped on the pads. Umpire Ian Gould turned down the appeal but upon reviewing, the Lankans were right and the umpire had to reverse his decision. Pakistan were in trouble at 111/6, leading by 29.

Wicket: Shafiq lbw b Herath 8(25)

Herath produced another breakthrough in the 64th over to leave Pakistan seven down. Asad Shafiq, who was looking to defend, played for the turn but it happened to be a straight delivery which struck him on the pads. Umpire Oxenford ruled in favour of the batsman but another review came to the aid of Sri Lanka, which left Pakistan in shambles.

Wicket: Rehman c Dickwella b Eranga 1(19)

Shaminda Eranga struck just before tea to pick up the eight Pakistani wicket. Abdur Rehman tried to defend a delivery that was leaving him and got an outside edge which was snapped up by the keeper.

Day 5 Tea: Sri Lanka on top

Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals to be in a lot of trouble. The visitors have just two more wickets left and they don't have a healthy lead either. Herath and Perera, who bowled well in the second session, will be eager to pick up the remaining scalps and let the Sri Lankan batsmen do their job. Pakistan will be hoping that Sarfraz Ahmed bats with the tail for a fair amount of time and help them towards a draw.

Sarfraz Ahmed batted in a positive manner to help Pakistan fight back. With a couple off Dhammika in the 78th over, the wicket-keeper batsman brought up his third Test fifty to keep the Lankans at bay.

Wicket: Talha c Dickwella b Herath 4(13)

While the lead was getting close to the 100-run mark, Pakistan suffered another setback when Mohammad Talha fell to Herath in the 79th over, giving the bowler his 19th five-wicket haul in Tests. Poking at a delivery that turned away, Talha got a thin edge and the keeper did not make any mistake, to leave Pakistan nine down.

Innings End: SL need 99 to win in 21 overs

Herath trapped Junaid Khan in front in the 81st over to bowl out Pakistan for 180. The tail-ender opted for the review but it did not help him, leaving Sri Lanka with a target of 99 in 21 overs. The Lankan finished with excellent figures of 6/48. It was a superb performance from the left-arm spinner, who spun a web around the Pakistani batsmen and put Sri Lanka in a good position to win the first Test. Light could be a factor and only that can save Pakistan from an imminent defeat.

Mahela Jayawardene came out to open with Upul Tharanga and the crowd went wild, cheering for the veteran batsman. Both took little time to get going even as a dark cloud loomed over the ground, giving Pakistan some hope.

Update: Mahela, Tharana keep SL on track

Mahela and Tharanga scored at a steady rate to keep Sri Lanka on track in the chase. With timely boundaries, they took Sri Lanka to 24/0 after 6 overs before the mandatory hour's play.

Wicket: Tharanga b Junaid Khan 12(20)

The left-handed opener fell to Junaid in the 8th over, castled by an inswinging delivery. The bowler managed to have Mahela nick one in the same over, but the ball travelled between the keeper and a wide slip to the third-man boundary.

Update: SL go past 50

The sky was turning grey again while Mahela and Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka forward. With a couple off Ajmal, Mahela helped Sri Lanka to the 50-run mark even as the groundsmen were getting the covers ready.

Mahela was castled by Junaid on 26 in the 12th over while it got even darker at Galle. Sri Lanka moved to 62/2 after 13 overs, needing 37 more off 8 overs.

Wicket: Sangakkara c Manzoor b Talha 21(22)

Sangakkara got good support from Angelo Mathews as the scored crucial boundaries to take Sri Lanka closer. However, the left-hander had to depart in the 15th over when he found Khurram Manzoor at long on while attempting a pull off Talha. SL were 73/3.

Update: Sri Lanka close in

While Pakistan pacers used some time-delaying tactics and also kept things tight, Mathews released the pressure with a six over mid-wicket off Junaid in the 16th over. In the same over, Kithuruwan Vithanage squeezed one to the third man boundary before clearing the mid-wicket fence to take Sri Lanka to 92/3.

Match End: Sri Lanka secure thrilling win

Mathews hit Talha for a six in the 17th over before taking a single to help Sri Lanka to a thrilling win, soon after which it started raining at Galle. The 7-wicket victory helped Sri Lanka take a 1-0 lead in the 2-match series.